Two Way Mirror

I think I had to read and/or watch Death of a Salesman and The Crucible each at least four times in high school and twice in college. As with other dynamic pieces of literature, each story's depth and value was lost on my 16-year-old brain when forced to read them. A college acting class and Dustin Hoffman helped me see not only how interesting Arthur Miller was as a writer, but also as a person. In 1982, Miller published Two Way Mirror, a series of semi-autobiographical one-act plays depicting the events of his marriage to the legendary Marilyn Monroe. Starting tonight and running through the 20th, the Southwest Rural Theatre Project will present the series, made up of two parts—Elegy for a Lady and Some Kind of Love Story. The couple, often referred to as "The Egghead and The Hourglass," were married less than 5 years, but their story is jam-packed with intrigue, scandal and, eventually, divorce. Southwest Rural Theatre Project • Fri Jan 4 • 8 pm • $10-$12 • 21+ • View on Alibi calendar

New Year's Eve in Vienna

The city of Vienna, Austria, known by many for its namesake tiny sausages, is also noted for turning out classical masters such as Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss. Music from this capitol city ranges from opera to cabaret to the culturally-unique genre known at Wienerlied. Tonight, the The Figueroa Music and Arts Project Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Guillermo Figueroa, presents an evening of waltzes, polkas, and Hungarian dances and rhapsodies. So fancy up and ring in the new year Eastern European-style. National Hispanic Cultural Center, Journal Theater • Mon Dec 31 • 8 pm • $22-$60 • ALL-AGES! • View on Alibi calendar

Bad Lip Reading does Twilight

This morning’s Daily Word brought us a One Direction-turned-epic-foreign-thriller masterpiece. And what can one do after seeing such beauty but watch every other Bad Lip Reading montage ever made? Now, I was familiar with the hilariously-interpreted segments of the presidential elections, The Hunger Games and Gotye, but Twilight was a new wonder for me.

There is nothing better than watching Kristen Stewart, with her single expression and ever-concerned eyebrows talk about leftover cake and cute dwarves. So, ladies and gentlemen, sit back, relax and enjoy the dialogue you wish The Twilight Saga would include. (Videos after the jump)

Pueblo Winter Stories

The oral tradition of winter storytelling has been a part of Native American culture for centuries. Join Shkeme (pronounced "shimmy") Garcia from the Pueblos of Tamaya and Walatowa as he entertains viewers with his special gift. Garcia will share classic favorites including Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun, How Rabbit Got His Long Ears, Dog Tails and Star Woman. $7.50 gets you in the door for the 1 p.m. performance only, or $20 lets you enjoy the stories with a belly full of warm, all-you-can-eat Pueblo Harvest Cafe goodness starting at 11:30 a.m. Indian Pueblo Cultural Center • Sat Dec 29 • 1 pm • $7.50 • View on Alibi calendar

Lobo Men’s Basketball takes on No. 8 Cincinnati in Ohio tonight

After a heartbreaking first-of-the-season loss to South Dakota State at home last Saturday and a drop from bothnational ranking polls, Alford’s pups have a lot to prove in tonight’s game.

Cincinnati, averaging almost 80 points per game and over 46 (that’s right, 46) rebounds per game, is one of the last undefeated team in the nation. However, none of these wins have come over ranked opponents, and this team, while clearly strong, hasn’t exactly had a chance to prove itself in what some are calling a “cupcake schedule.”

UNM, with its second-best start in school history at 12-1, had outrebounded other teams by an average of 5.3 points and held opponent shooting to 40.1% from the field leading into Saturday’s catastrophe. With a deep bench, high endurance and a strong defensive bite, this Lobo team has proven itself a worthy opponent in the early-season race.

There is no doubt about it, sparks are going to fly in the east-meets-west matchup between one team looking to hold onto its reputation and another trying to regain it. Let’s just hope the Lobos come in fierce and fighting.

Catch all the action at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 or follow along on the ESPN scoreboard. Let’s get ready to throw our Lobo hands in the air and hoooowl!

Holiday Enrichment

If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. But if you give an orangutan a box of holiday goodies, he is most likely going to open it, play with and/or eat it and cause a highly unified chorus of "aaawwww." Our friends at the BioPark Zoo have certainly not forgotten that primates, big cats and elephants all deserve their fair share of presents for the holidays. Tomorrow is your perfect chance to see animal pals receive toys, chains, tubes and treats from their zookeeper friends. Zoo staff will be available throughout the morning to answer questions and explain how this special enrichment helps keep the animals active, alert and curious. Plus, it's going to be stinkin' adorable. ABQ BioPark Zoo • Sat Dec 22 • 9:30-10:30 am • FREE with park admission • View on Alibi calendar

The members of the New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus have been singing their way into the hearts of Burqueños for nearly 31 years. This weekend, they present a show filled with the fun and surprises that have made this holiday concert one of the area's favorite traditions. This colorful, bright and gay variety of warm winter songs features special guest performances by Cathryn McGill, alto soloist, and Seth Sanchez, soprano soloist. Visit nmgmc.org for more information. Greer Garson Theater, Santa Fe • Fri Dec 14 • 7:30 pm • $15-$20 • ALL-AGES! • View on Alibi calendar

Kids' Cardstacking Workshop

Artist, architect and New Mexico native Bryan Berg has held the Guinness World Record for the Tallest House of Freestanding Playing Cards since 1992. In 2004, he inspired the creation of a new record for the largest card house—not tallest—after building a replica of Cinderella's Castle for Walt Disney World. Tonight, Berg will host a free kids' hands-on workshop in his hometown of Santa Fe. He'll give a short presentation about cardstacking and provide one-on-one lessons on how to build four-card cells and free-standing towers. And, of course, participants are welcome and encouraged to knock their card houses down upon completion. Activities are recommended for ages 8-and-up due to hand-eye coordination and attention span. Visit cardstacker.com for more information. Moving People Performance Space, Santa Fe • Tue Dec 11 • 6:30-7:30 pm • FREE • ALL-AGES! • View on Alibi calendar

Teeny Tiny Super Stacked Show

Founded in 2011, Broad Humor is a Burque comedy duo comprised of funny girls Sarah Kennedy and Sarah Mowrey. The pair packs a lot of tools into their laughter arsenal—from stand-up, improv and sketch comedy to knock-knock jokes and puns. (Seriously, who doesn't love a good knock-knock joke?) Their current specialty, however, is the production and presentation of weekly live shows at The Box Performance Space and Improv Theatre. Tonight's chuckle fest is billed as the "Teeny Tiny Super Stacked Show," 15 comic performers jam-packed into one 75-minute bonanza. Six bucks gets you in the door (only 40 cents per comic!), and The Box validates parking for up to two hours. The Box Performance Space and Improv Theatre • Sat Nov 24 • 10:30 pm • $6 • View on Alibi calendar

River of Lights

In 1997, the New Mexico BioPark Society started the River of Lights as a fundraiser for expanding exhibits and attractions. Today, this celebrated event continues to sustain those efforts. Every November and December, Burqueños flock to the Botanic Garden to see millions of glowing bulbs bring to life more than 150 sculptures. Visitors can snap photos as giant gingerbread men and walk through the belly of a massive pumpkin. Stop for a moment to rest numb toes while enjoying live entertainment, or pop a squat on the G-scale model train. Each year's show features new pieces by Albuquerque BioPark artists and craftsmen (check tinyurl.com/riveroflights throughout the season for more on what's new this winter). Be sure to bundle up before you head out into the brisk night air to enjoy this illuminated spectacle. And don't accidentally pull down an entire dragonfly-themed display like I did one year. ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden • Sat Nov 24 • 6-9 pm • $5-$10 • ALL-AGES! • Runs thru Dec 24 • View on Alibi calendar